Blackjack Soft Hand 19 or 20

Knowing how to proceed in a particular situation is crucial for players who want to make the most of every game. One of the hands they are certain to receive is the so-called soft hand, i.e. a hand that contains an ace valued at 11 alongside another card.

Such hands are often misplayed, as they frequently place players in a difficult position. Thus, it is essential for players to familiarise themselves with every possible hand so they can be prepared in advance and know which move represents their best choice.

• Best Move for Soft 19 and Soft 20
• Reasons To Stand
• When the Dealer’s Up Card is Weak
• Benefits of Having Soft Hands
• Conclusion

It is also worth mentioning that, in addition to a solid understanding of the game and a sound strategy, players must be extremely disciplined if they are to manage their bets successfully. The only way players can win in the long run is by playing consistently according to their chosen strategy and sticking to it throughout the game. They need to know which move to make next and what its possible outcomes will be.

Best Moves for Soft 19 and Soft 20

Soft 19 and soft 20 are hands that many experienced players hope for when playing blackjack. Soft 19, in particular, is often misplayed by less experienced players. It consists of an ace valued at 11 and an 8. Other examples of soft 19 include 2-6-A, 5-3-A, and A-7-A.

A soft 20 is a hand containing an ace valued at 11 together with a 9. This soft total can also result from the following card combinations: 5-4-A, A-3-6, and 7-2-A. Being soft, these totals require a different playing strategy from that used for hard 19 and hard 20. The latter either lack aces altogether or contain an ace whose value is 1 rather than 11.

These totals are called hard because the player can bust on the next draw. This is not the case with totals such as soft 19 and soft 20, where it is impossible to bust after drawing one additional card. If you draw a higher-value card, the ace will automatically switch from 11 to 1 and save you from busting.

To make the best possible decision, players always take into account two things – the total of their hand and the dealer’s upcard. The strategy for these two soft hands is nearly identical regardless of the dealer’s upcard, which makes it extremely convenient and easy to remember.

Let us begin with soft 20 because there is only one optimal way to play this soft total, regardless of the number of decks or other table rules. Soft 20 is always a stand against all dealer upcards, no matter which blackjack variation you play.

Things are a little trickier with soft 19, as it requires adjustments against certain dealer upcards, depending on the number of packs in play and the drawing rules the dealer must follow. Splitting and hitting are not viable options for a player who is dealt a soft 19. With this total, your choice is narrowed down to two plays – you either stand or double down.

Soft 19 is a stand versus all dealer upcards (deuce through ace) in double-deck and multi-deck blackjack variations where the dealer must stand on soft 17. The hand should be doubled down against a 6 in double-deck and multi-deck games where the dealer is bound to draw to soft 17.

In single-deck variants of 21, players must always double this soft hand versus a 6 and stand against all other dealer upcards. These rules apply to single-deck games regardless of the dealer’s drawing requirements.

The strategy in the chart above coincides with that for double-deck and multi-deck variants where the dealer hits soft 17, i.e. you double against a 6 and stand against all other upcards. Follow the moves from the chart below when you are up against a dealer standing on soft 17 in games that utilise anywhere between two and eight packs of cards.

Reasons to Stand with Soft 19 and Soft 20

The reason for the strategy outlined above is that these two soft hands put players in a very favourable position. Choosing any move other than standing (or doubling when the rules require it) will simply undermine this strong total and reduce the player’s expected value. To capitalise on these situations, players should adhere to the correct strategy if they want to maximise their expected value.

Moreover, bearing in mind that the average winning hand is 18.5, players who hold soft 19 or soft 20 already have all they need to achieve the desired win. There is no point in taking further action to improve the hand, as the chances of worsening it are high.

Such situations are a bonanza for players, and they should make the most of them whenever they arise. Soft 19 and soft 20 put them in a very advantageous position and allow them to build their winnings.

Thus, in such cases it is best to keep the strong total value these hands provide by simply choosing to stand. The only exception to the standing rule occurs when holding a soft 19 in single-deck blackjack and multi-deck games under the H17 rule. The reasoning behind doubling here is that the player’s soft 19 dominates the dealer’s weak 6 up-card in H17 multi-deck games.

A 6 is particularly bad for a dealer who hits soft 17, as they will break their hand nearly three and a half times more often compared to variations where they must stand on this soft total. The whole point of doubling in these circumstances is to boost your winnings with a hand that holds very well against the dealer’s low up-card.

The above figures are courtesy of blackjack expert Michael Shackleford. They indicate that doubling is the best possible choice with A-8 under the above-described playing conditions. This is because it earns you more and helps you capitalise on your advantage. If you double, every pound you wager on this hand would earn you 46 pence on average. By contrast, standing results in profits of around 45 pence, whereas hitting earns you only 23 pence per pound wagered.

Of course, gamblers have the power to decide which move they deem best in a particular situation. However, the odds of improving such hands are very low and it is simply not reasonable to take the risk. There are many other cases where risky decisions cannot be avoided, so players should refrain from them whenever possible.

As for soft 20, the hand is always a stand since this is the move that produces the greatest expected value for the player. While there is still no risk of busting on the next hit, hitting or doubling on this soft hand are not optimal since very few cards can improve you to the coveted total of 21.

Practically the only way for this to happen with a single hit is for the player to draw an ace. The chances of this occurring are lower because you already hold one of the aces from the deck/shoe in your A-9. Thus, drawing to your soft 20 is not a viable option even against weak dealers with small-value upcards, as shown in the chart below.

All three plays for soft 20 result in a long-term positive expectation, but standing beats the other two moves, producing the greatest value for the player. It outperforms doubling, earning you roughly 16 pence more for every pound wagered. Compared to hitting, standing produces approximately 40 pence more in terms of expected value.

When the Dealer’s Upcard is Weak

Whenever players are dealt a strong hand such as soft 19 or soft 20, their only choice should be to stand (or double down under specific conditions) even if the dealer’s upcard is 3, 4 or another weak card. The total value of their hand is sufficient against any of the dealer’s upcards.

Doubling on soft 19 is optimal against a 6 only in variations where the dealer hits soft 17. This is due to the slight increase in the dealer’s bust percentage when they start with a 6 under this house rule. In a six-deck game under the S17 rule, the dealer is likely to bust 42.3% of the time when their first card is a 6.

Meanwhile, this percentage increases to 43.9% in H17 variants that implement six full packs of cards. The odds favour doubling, not standing, under such conditions since the goal is for the player to extract greater winnings from the dealer’s higher disadvantage.

Of course, if the playing rules of your chosen online or land-based blackjack variation disallow doubling on soft totals, you should opt for the next best move and stand. The same goes for soft 19 hands that contain more than two cards, like 6-2-A, in which instance most casinos prohibit doubling down.

Benefits of Having Soft Hands

Whenever players have soft hands, there are a few useful points that can help them make better choices and understand the reasoning behind every move a particular strategy suggests. One of them is that if they have an ace and any other card in their hand, they cannot go bust because, whatever card they draw, they can always use the flexibility the ace provides and adjust the hand’s value accordingly.

However, when players are fortunate enough to receive a soft 19 or soft 20, any move other than standing (or, in some cases, doubling) will only diminish the value of these strong totals. Players need to bear in mind that soft 19 and soft 20 hands are usually sufficient to win, as the chances that the dealer can beat them are very low.

Conclusion

As already mentioned, soft hands are among the most frequently misplayed in blackjack because many players are unfamiliar with how to play them or even what the term means. It is important to acknowledge that without knowing the implications of a particular hand, one cannot hope to win in the long run. A reliable strategy is necessary if they are to understand why a particular move produces specific outcomes.

Hands such as soft 19 and soft 20 place players in a very favourable position because their totals exceed the average winning hand (18.5) and the ace gives them the flexibility to adjust the hand’s value if necessary. In such cases, there is no need to do so, as the total is already strong enough.

The best possible move players can make is simply to stand and see how the game unfolds. Doubling is correct only against a 6 in single-deck blackjack, as well as in multi-deck variants where the dealer is bound to draw to soft 17. Your hand is likely to be a winner as the dealer probably will not be able to beat it. Thus, players should take full advantage whenever they are dealt such hands.